Congrats Midpack - you will have to give us an update on your perspective after you use it (if you don't mind) but only if it's a good review. I know I must own some Honda Motor Corp. stock somewhere in my index funds!!
I just mowed my lawn and the Honda mower was wonderful, an out of body experience!!!
Just kidding, it is a lawn mower after all...
My initial impression was good, it was all I hoped with more pleasant surprises than the other kind. My real opinion won't form for another 10-20 years.
Cons:
- It has the longest wheelbase I have ever seen on a push mower, which makes it tougher to maneuver. Long wheelbase is not an issue going straight, and not that noticeable going around gentle curves, but it's noticeable turning tight like around trees.
- My old John Deere 14SB had a horiz "sightglass" on the tank, so it was easy to know when the tank was full without spilling. The Honda does not, I will miss that.
- *** for some not all
I bought my John Deere 14SB (150cc) in 1990 when we arrived in FL and my old 3.5HP B&S supermarket mower couldn't begin to cut the wire they call (St Augustine) grass down there. And I refuse to bag clippings. So I went out and bought the most powerful, best mulching mower I could buy then, for (gag) $600. And it's served us for 24 years, so it's been a great investment.
Pros:
- As good as the John Deere was at mulching, this 190cc Honda is even better. My grass was longish and not entirely dry today, but the Honda obliterated the clippings, and the engine never hesitated. It pulverized a twig I hit, where the JD would have just broken it into pieces.
- I was a little puzzled as to how the blade clutch & drive bails worked, but after just a few passes I realized why they are shaped differently - a very smart, intuitive design. A tick easier on the hands than the JD.
- Started on the first pull, even this first time, with a little less resistance than the JD (it always started on 1-2 pulls throughout it's life).
- Oil changes will be easier/less messy on the Honda than they were on the JD.
- The Honda was a little quieter, but it's still loud like most mowers. And it runs smoother than any other mower I've ever used, less vibration in the handle which is more comfortable.
My OP compared the wrong models, should have been $500 (HRR216VYA) vs $700 (HRX217HYA), not a $400 model.
I am sure I would have been just fine with the $500 model after all, our yard is not that large or sloping. But I will keep the better model because I like the transmission and it's user friendliness, that's all it comes down to. I don't like the cheaper Smart Drive approach in user friendliness terms.
I could take it back and save $200, but even this one will pay for itself in one year vs hiring someone to cut our grass for a season. And while $700 is a lot for a push mower (as DW pointed out), in today's dollars the John Deere would retail for more than $1100, no wonder JD no longer sells push mowers in the US.
*** The Honda is also the heaviest mower I've ever owned. But it's only 3 pounds heavier than my John Deere was (96 vs 93 lbs), and it is self-propelled so it didn't really bother me. If the transmission failed, I doubt even a normal adult could push it around for 45-60 minutes. And anyone used to a cheapo $200-300 mower is in for a shock the first time they try to [-]man[/-]personhandle a Honda HRX mower around! It's a beast!
Honda HRX217HYA red & gray, John Deere 14SB black and silver